Wanfa Daojun, starting from the Little Cloud and Rain Technique

Chapter 957 Mutation
Not only Ji An, but everyone else was also somewhat surprised; things went so smoothly that it was hard to believe.

The enemy only resisted for a day before ceasing their harassment. It should be noted that this mountain range was a treasure trove for the Gold-Eating Beast.

A glint of light flashed in Qingyue Sanren's eyes, but she quickly suppressed her joy and said:
"If I'm not mistaken, the Gold-Eating Beast clan only has two Beast Kings at the Three-Flower Realm level. They sensed they couldn't suppress us and retreated on their own initiative."

The tribe can return in a few days.

The instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm is inherent in all living beings. These people cannot occupy this place for long; at most, they will plunder and then leave.

Zhongding Sanren nodded, "Very likely. The magic array you provided was of great help. Also, it is truly an honor for me to have you all here."

However, the matter is not yet settled, and everyone must not let their guard down.

Guangtong Sanren laughed twice, "Let's hurry and go inside the mountain range, otherwise those Heaven-Mending Lotuses might be destroyed by the Gold-Eating Beast."

For the Gold-Eating Beast, swallowing the Heaven-Mending Lotus raw wouldn't have much effect. This spiritual plant only becomes truly valuable when its latent medicinal properties are brought out with various auxiliary medicines. However, one must be careful not to provoke the beast into a rage.

Zhongding Sanren nodded. "There's no time to recover our mana. Let's act immediately and replenish our strength after we get the Heaven-Mending Lotus."

"That's right, let's take action immediately."

Miao You Sanren also agreed to do so. The main purpose of this trip was to obtain the Heaven-Mending Lotus. If it were destroyed by demonic beasts, all the years of waiting would have been in vain.

Ji An immediately released the strength of metal and stone, and activated his inner core to release the blood qi armor. The Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner transformed into a cloud of smoke and surrounded his body.

The five of them took to the clouds and flew towards the center of the mountain range as fast as they could, while remaining on high alert. Nothing happened along the way.

A moment later, everyone discovered a bright light ahead, and Zhongding Zhenren shouted:
"It's just ahead, everyone be careful!"

After saying that, he rushed to the front, and when everyone broke through the fog, they saw the bright moon overhead and the stars scattered all around the sky.

Ji An felt a sense of joy, like seeing the moon after the clouds had parted. These past few days, he had been staying in the fog, and the sense of oppression in his heart had been accumulating. The whispers around him were also becoming more and more frequent.

The lake is situated in a place that resembles a deep well, with the swirling mist around it acting as the well walls.

Once they had determined their direction, they immediately flew towards the southeast corner of the small lake. Under the moonlight, a dozen or so lotus leaves the size of baskets emitted a five-colored spiritual light, along with an equal number of lotus flowers.

Zhongding Sanren was the first to arrive beside the most robust Heaven-Mending Lotus, eagerly extending his divine sense to sense its vitality. He suddenly clenched his fist:

"Haha, I'm rich! It really is a top-grade fifth-tier Heaven-Mending Lotus!"

His small world's spiritual veins are currently at the fourth-tier top grade. With the fifth-tier high-grade Heaven-Mending Lotus, plus two other plants, he may be able to cultivate his small world to the fifth-tier middle grade in just a few years.

When a cultivator at the Three Flowers Realm merges with the small world they have refined, the quality of the spiritual veins within that small world is improved, and the cultivator themselves also gain many benefits.

The cultivation of cultivators in the Three Flowers Realm is not only about comprehending the transformation of Yin and Yang, but also about improving their small world. The best state of cultivation is to pursue both simultaneously.

Everyone was thrilled. Ji An inspected each plant in turn and said in a deep voice:

“Fellow Daoist Zhongding, your judgment is incorrect. It will take a month for the two low-grade fifth-rank spiritual plants to fully mature, and for the other high-grade fifth-rank spiritual plant to fully mature, it will take at least two more years.”

With his talent and understanding of the growth state of spiritual plants, he was very confident in his judgment. His judgment of fifth-grade high-quality spiritual plants would not be more than half a month off, and his judgment of fifth-grade low-quality spiritual plants would not be more than three days off.

The good news for them was that the lake was free of fog; otherwise, they certainly wouldn't have been able to hold out for so long.

Guangtong Sanren frowned deeply. "Fellow Daoist, are you able to accurately determine the exact ripening time?"

"This humble Taoist priest has some knowledge of planting."

Zhongding Sanren's voice was somewhat hurried, "Then let's wait here. A fifth-grade superior-quality Heaven-Mending Lotus is worth waiting for several years. Here, with the mist, everyone has no worries. What do you all think?"

Guangtong Sanren nodded abruptly, "This humble Taoist is willing to wait."

Qingyue Sanren was unwilling to stay in the Misty Mountains any longer, as this area was the territory of the White Bone Temple, and he might encounter cultivators from the Demonic Sect.

But with such a lucrative opportunity before her, she comforted herself, 'If the demonic cultivators knew what was going on here, they would probably have already made their move.'

Suddenly remembering something, she asked hopefully:
“Fellow Daoist Xuanqing, since you understand spiritual plants, you must also be able to use planting spells, right? High-level planting spells can definitely accelerate the growth of spiritual plants.”

Ji An nodded slightly, then shook his head gently:

"The spiritual plants I used to work with were all of the five elements, but the Heaven-Mending Lotus is different. I wonder how effective the spell will be."

In the world of gourds, only the Gathering Yuan Tree is an exception. It exhibits the attribute of earth, but in reality, it contains all five elements. However, the power of the five elements is not balanced, and the power of the other five elements is relatively weak.

His concern was that the spell's effect might be poor, which would render the spell meaningless. Therefore, he didn't elaborate and didn't give people too much expectation.

"The planting spell is gentle and easy to use. Fellow Daoist, you can give it a try. Saving some time is very important for everyone."

What do you all think?

Qingyue Sanren looked at the others and asked, thinking that this suggestion would surely be supported by everyone.

“I agree,” Miaoyou Sanren immediately expressed his approval.

Zhongding Sanren pondered for a moment, then shook his head and refused:
“The situation with the Heaven-Mending Lotus is special. We are not clear about the consequences of casting the spell. If something goes wrong and causes losses, I cannot accept it at all. I disagree.”

Guangtong Sanren nodded in agreement, "That's what I think too."

His tone was very firm, as if he believed that casting spells would inevitably cause harm.

Miao You Sanren coughed lightly and tried to smooth things over:
"Planting spells may not produce very good positive effects, but they certainly won't produce much negative effect either."

If you two fellow Daoists are still not reassured, we can use a compromise: let Fellow Daoist Xuanqing cast a spell on a low-grade fifth-tier Heaven-Mending Lotus and observe what effect it produces. Is that feasible?

Zhongding Sanren shook his head firmly, "This humble Taoist is unwilling to suffer even the slightest loss. Why shouldn't I wait a few years?"
For us cultivators at the Three Flowers Realm, a few years is like a short nap; it passes by very quickly.

Ji An frowned slightly, puzzled as to why the other party was not giving him a chance at all, and said:

"I am able to control the power of the spell. I can try to see if it works. If it does cause damage, we can simply wait quietly."

Guangtong Sanren chimed in, "I'm afraid some damage might not be detected at the time. The Heaven-Mending Lotus is of great importance, so it's best if we don't take any risks."

If we were in a fog-shrouded area, I would be willing to let you try, but there's no fog here, so it won't affect you. Let's wait quietly.

Qingyue Sanren kept shaking his head, "This is not appropriate. Even if it is not affected by the mist, there are still two beast kings at the Three Flowers Realm level in the Gold-Eating Beast Clan."

Staying here for an extended period could lead to unforeseen changes.

The Beast Kings probably thought these people were just there to plunder some resources and would leave, but they definitely wouldn't be happy to stay here for long.

If the Beast King is in contact with other powerful monsters, they may be besieged.

The group expressed their opinions, but no consensus was reached. Due to the stubbornness of Zhongding Sanren and Guangtong Sanren, Ji An did not perform any spells, and everyone fell silent, with a rift beginning to appear.

Ji An transmitted the message:
"Fellow Daoist, something is amiss. The planting spell may have an adverse effect on the Heaven-Mending Lotus, but it is almost impossible for it to cause irreversible damage."

How could a fifth-tier spiritual plant be so delicate? I estimate the worst-case scenario is that the spiritual plant will wither for a few days.

Their fervent efforts to stop the spell might be hiding something.

Prepare for the worst, so that you can cope with the situation with tolerance when it actually happens.

Miao You Sanren nodded almost imperceptibly, responding telepathically:
'Observe the situation and remain vigilant.'

The information about the Heaven-Mending Lotus was provided by Zhongding Sanren, and if the other party is not convinced, the spell cannot be cast; this is a matter of credibility.

After a while, perhaps to ease the tension, Guangtong Sanren spoke up:

"Fellow Daoist Xuanqing, you said that the maturation time for two low-grade fifth-order spiritual plants is one month, with an error margin of no more than three days. Is this true for both spiritual plants?"

"Yes, to be precise, it will mature in one month and four days. I estimate that the two spiritual plants will mature at most one day apart."

Ji An said confidently that he could completely control when the spiritual fruits of the gourd world would ripen.

Guangtong Sanren turned his head and tentatively asked:

“Fellow Daoist Zhongding, since Fellow Daoist Xuanqing has such confidence, let’s agree to let him cast a spell on one of the fifth-grade low-level spiritual plants, and not cast a spell on the other one, to see if the maturity time is as he judged.”

If the comparison confirms what he said, then we don't need to waste any more time here.

Zhongding Sanren nodded, "Alright, I will closely monitor the results after the spell is cast."

Ji An did not expect things to take a turn for the better. He immediately chose a Heaven-Mending Lotus, and used his magic to release the Thick Virtue Spirit-Evolving Spell.

He precisely controlled the area covered by the spell, and a warm, yellow aura appeared in the waters where the chosen spiritual plant was located.

Releasing the Dragon Soaring to All Things would bring forth the Moon of the Moon, and the moonlight would also accelerate the growth of spiritual plants, so he did not release the Dragon Soaring to All Things.

Feeling the profound and nourishing divine power being contained within a small area, Qingyue Sanren exclaimed in admiration:

"Fellow Daoist's magic is truly powerful. How many days do you think it will take for this spiritual plant to fully mature after the spell is cast?"

The characteristics of a fully matured lotus are very obvious, and everyone can recognize it at a glance.

Ji An sensed the vitality of the spiritual plant, calculated it, and said:
"Between four days and three hours and five hours."

The spell worked very well, and he felt confident. With a touch of boastfulness, he gave a precise prediction down to the hour.

Qingyue Sanren smiled and turned to say:
"Actually, there's no need to wait three months to see the results. If Xuanqing's prediction is accurate, we can trust him."

She was deeply shocked. If the spiritual plant matured within the specified time period, it meant that the effect of a spell could save more than two months.

Judging from this, the speed at which the opponent improves the grade of their small world's spiritual veins far exceeds that of most cultivators.

This is a fifth-tier spiritual plant; its magical power cannot be effective unless it reaches a certain level.

Miao You Sanren echoed:
"Even an error of one or two hours is acceptable."

Master Zhongding glanced at Master Guangtong with a subtle look, "Alright."

The fragrance emitted by the petals grew stronger, but after reaching a certain peak, the fragrance quickly dissipated.

Then, witnessed by everyone, the petals withered at the same time, and the lotus seedpod visibly swelled up.

Qingyue Sanren's eyes suddenly lit up. "Fellow Daoist Xuanqing, saying you 'know a little about planting' is too modest. Four days and three hours have passed. You're amazing."

She examined the lotus leaves and seedpods of the Heaven-Mending Lotus, looked at Zhongding Sanren, and smiled:

"The spiritual plant shows no signs of damage whatsoever; Fellow Daoist Xuanqing can absolutely trust it."

After everyone had examined the spiritual plants, Zhongding Sanren revealed a slightly strange smile and cupped his hands in greeting:

"I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Xuanqing to be so familiar with the way of planting. I admire you."

"Haha, I was blind to recognize such a master right before my eyes! Please don't hesitate to use your magic; the sooner the spiritual plants mature, the sooner we can return home."

Ji An didn't take the other person's strange expression to heart. "I wouldn't dare to call myself a 'master,' I'm just familiar with planting, it's all due to practice."

He manipulated his magic, releasing in sequence the Thick Virtue Evolution Mantra, Dragon Soars to Give Birth to All Things, Vermilion Bird Mysterious Brightness Technique, and Mysterious Qi Genglin Technique.

Since the Heaven-Mending Lotus possesses all five elements, he used all the planting spells he knew, and another fifth-grade low-level Heaven-Mending Lotus fully matured.

Feeling the surging divine power of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—Qingyue Sanren was even more shocked. Pointing to the fifth-grade superior plant, she asked curiously:

"May I ask, fellow Daoist, if we continuously cast planting spells, approximately how long will it take for this spiritual plant to mature?"

Ji An made a rough estimate and gently shook his head, saying:

"It will take at least half a year, as my spells are not very effective on fifth-grade high-quality spiritual plants."

He decided that once he returned this time, he would create a planting spell at the Three-Flower Realm level as soon as possible.

The hermit of Miaoyou stroked his white beard and said gently:

"It's already very powerful. Fifth-grade high-quality spiritual plants are only attainable by high-level cultivators in the late stage of the Three Flowers Realm. The fact that we were able to obtain them is quite fortunate."

Guangtong Sanren smiled broadly, "Indeed, we are quite fortunate. Now that two Heaven-Mending Lotuses have matured, why don't we divide them up?"

Zhongding Sanren nodded, "Alright, let's divide it now. After that, we can send two people to search the lair of those gold-eating beasts and see how many resources they left behind."

Ji An shook his head slightly, "Scattering in this environment is a big no-no. Let's wait until the other plant matures before making any decisions."

The most valuable assets haven't been secured yet, so why take other risks?

Miaoyou Sanren and Qingyue Sanren both nodded in agreement, saying, "What you say is absolutely right, fellow Daoist."

"That's right, let's divide the things."

The group dug out the lotus roots and gathered together to divide them.

While everyone's attention was focused on the lotus root, Zhongding Sanren and Guangtong Sanren suddenly released their respective spiritual treasures and attacked Ji An and Qingyue Sanren.

(End of this chapter)